From Prisoner to Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Marion Boyce’s career encompasses some of Australia’s most iconic moments on-screen.

When I call Marion Boyce, she’s joyful and warm, with seemingly boundless energy, which surprises me somewhat.

I’ve caught Marion in a tiny window between projects. She’s just gotten back to the mainland after spending most of the year in Tasmania shooting a miniseries, and tomorrow she’s off to Los Angeles where the Costume Guild of American has asked her to host a series of workshops.

Of course, it’s only Marion’s unflagging spirit that surprises me, not her hectic schedule.

One of Australia’s most prolific and lauded costume designers, Marion’s work is the subject of the current The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA).

On Friday 16 August she will present not one, but two, in-conversation events that will delve into her rise to become one of Australia’s most recognised names in design.

The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition. Credit: NFSA.

A walk through The Dressmaker exhibition is enough to bring a tear to the eye of any fashion lover, vintage enthusiast or otherwise; however, one might be surprised to learn that Marion “never wanted to be a fashion designer.”

After studying Fashion Design in Melbourne at RMIT because “that’s all there was”, Marion began to put on fashion shows at nightclubs. But it wasn’t long before she was tapped by a producer who had attended one of her shows and asked to costume design her first film at age 21. As you do.

“I said ‘yes that sounds fabulous’, you know, being 21 and [having] the arrogance of youth,” laughs Marion. “Then I realised I had found my tribe.”

Marion set herself her “own apprenticeship” and landed herself a gig at Channel 10 where her first job was working on Prisoner. While prison jumpsuits weren’t the stuff of costume dreams, it allowed Marion to get her hands dirty creating ensembles from scratch, and channelling character through clothes.

Sarah Snook as Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Pratt Photographer: Ben King.

From there she moved to Crawford Productions where she “came up through the ranks”, later working on productions such as Zeus and Roxanne, The Starter Wife, Crocodile Dundee in LA, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and The Dressmaker.

It’s these latter projects that will be the focus of Marion’s upcoming appearances at the NFSA. Across two Q&A style events, Marion will discuss both Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and The Dressmaker respectively, with each session followed by a screening. The former will be Marion’s favourite episode of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries while the latter will be The Dressmaker in its entirety.

Both of these projects required an enormous amount of research from Marion—not only due to their settings, but also because both the plot and character rely heavily on costume.

Essie David as Phryne Fisher in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Image: NFSA.

For Phryne Fisher, lady detective in 1920s Melbourne, costume is both her self-expression and her weapon.

“Phryne dances to the beat of her own drum,” says Marion. “Early on, when I was reading [the books] it was like [Phryne] used to burst onto scene—she was in perpetual motion, so I decided to use cloth as a bit a metaphor. I had large scarves and large swaths of cloth to help create that motion.”

For The Dressmaker’s Tilly Dunnage, couture seamstress set on revenge in her country hometown of Dungatar, her plan hinges on her ability as a seamstress.

“With each outfit, [Tilly] was actually buying a town,” explains Marion. “She wanted revenge and she worked out the inner peacock of those [townswomen]. She made them feel special [through clothes].”

The Dressmaker Sarah Snook (Trudy), Hayley Magnus (Prudence), Amanda Woodhams (Nancy), Tracy Harvey (Lois) and Rebecca Gibney (Muriel). Photographer: Ben King.

On Friday 16  August at 1 pm, Marion will also host the final floor talk of The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition.

A free event (after the purchase of an exhibition ticket), it will be the last event in the space before the exhibition closes its doors at 5 pm on Saturday 18 August (although we may have a special HerCanberra surprise in the works, so stay tuned).

You can also enter our giveaway to win a double pass to an exclusive HerCanberra Meet and Greet with Marion, which will take place from 5.15 – 6 pm on Friday 16 August at the NFSA.

Winners will also receive entry into the Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries Q+A with Marion at 6 pm (straight after the meet and greet). Click here to enter now.

Marion Boyce. Credit: NFSA courtesy of Irene Dowdy, ID Photo.

Still wondering how Marion pieces together her character’s jaw-dropping ensembles? What it was like working with Kate Winslet and Essie Davis? What are her favourite costume dramas? Perhaps you’ll just have to ask her yourself.

the essentials

The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition

When: Showing from 10 am – 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm) from Monday – Friday until 18 August (inclusive)
Where: National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Tickets: $13 general, $10 concessions and Friends of the NFSA, $7 children (5 and up)
More information and tickets: nfsa.gov.au/events/dressmaker-costume-exhibition

The Dressmaker screening + Q&A with Marion Boyce

When: Friday 16 August at 10.30 am
Where: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Tickets: $10
More information and tickets: nfsa.gov.au/events/dressmaker-qa

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries + Q&A with Marion Boyce

When: Friday 16 August at 6 pm
Where: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Tickets: $10
More information and tickets: nfsa.gov.au/events/miss-fishers-murder-mysteries-qa

Credit: NFSA courtesy of Irene Dowdy, ID Photo.